Motor-control system.



E. W. STULL. MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1.1908.

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MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM.

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NMUQYXM. g/wwwx WN UNITED sTATns ssrn EMMETT `W. STULL, 0F NORWOOD, GEIQ, ASSIGNOR FSG ALLIS-CHALMEBS CMANY, fr

CORPORATIN F NEW MOTGReONTROlL SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

3e 'it known that I, EMMETT W'. STULL, citizen of the United States, residing at Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and ns'elul linprovements in Motor-Control Systenis, ol" which the following` is a full, clear, and exact specification. n

My invention relates to motor control systenis, and particularly to remotecontrol systems as used for electric railways.

tu the modern development oit electric railways there has heen in sonic quarters a marked tendency toward the use ot remote control systems. This tendency is largely duc to the desire to avoid the making and 4breaking on the car vplatform of circuits .of the switch yor switches of the main controller which controls the series and parallel connections 'ot the motors,

' It is the oh]cct of my invention to avoid this trouble, to simplify the construction of the main' controller, and to improve the operation of the system as a whole, while still retaining all the advantages of other remote control systems.

Vith this object in view, my invention somewhat broadly comprises the combination of a plurality of motors, a controller for said motors, a master controller for said first mentioned controller, and means operated with said master controller` for con- Specification of Letters Fatent.

Application filed April l, i908.

Patented lelo., litt, tell@ serial no. 424,549.

the combined series-parallel switch and master controller, the controller casing being in section. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. Ll is a diagram shovving` a preferred arrangement. of telltale lights tor indicating the blowing; of a `fuse.

ln the arrangement shown there are tour motors. A, ll, tl, and D, and these are snpplied With current from a trolley ll or other suitable collecting` device. The re sistance controller 12 for these motors cornprises a plurality of switches 13 to lll inclusive, operated hy solenoids Q0 to 2G irclusive respectively. rl`he switch lll is the main or circuit-closing` switch, While the switches ll to 19 inclusive control the cuttinein or out 'of sections ot the resistance 27. To complete the motor circuit, the switch i8 and one of the switches le to 19 inclusive must he closed. The main reversing switch '28, which may he ot any desired or usual construction and needs no enplanation herein, is movable into its tvvo positions hy solenoids 29 and B0 respectively.

rl"he solenoids '20 to 26 inclusive and QS) and 30 are supplied with current from any desired source, such as battery 3l, which, it a secondary battery, may he arranged to he intermittently charged hy losing lconnecteol in series with the driving` motor- 32 oi' the air compressor 33 o1? the air hralre system. The charging of the battery 3l may be regulated by a variable resistance 34 arranged to he connected in shunt tov the battery when pressure switch 32a is closed and the motor 32 is running. @ne side oit this battery, preferably the side toward the trolley, is connected to the controlling circuits tlirough a' switch 85 and a fuse 36.

The actuating; solenoids 29 and 30 of the main reversing switch are controlled by a `master reversing switch 37, connected as shown. Tne actuating solenoids, 2O to 2G inclusive of the resistance controller are controlled loy the lower part 38 of the drinn controller 39. rThe vupper part il() of this drum controller 39 is arranged directly tov connect the motors A and B in series or in parallel with the motors C and D respectively. Thus, the drum controller '37 is a combined series-parallel switch and master controller, and the part 4:0 end the resistance controller4 l2 together torni main or ymotor controller. Any desired, ii'iterloclcing mechanism may he provided between the 'l master reversing switch and the master controller.

The combined series-parallel switch and master controller 39 is arranged with its series positions on one side of its otl position and its parallel positions on the other side thereof. As shown there are sin series positions and tour/parallel positions, there bein;r fewer parallel positions because it is usually not necessary to connect in the whole resistance in the parallel positions. inmov-A ing the controller 39 from the otlE position to either the series or parallel side, the u pper part 40 thereof is arranged to make its connections before the lower part 38 does, thus insuring the proper series or parallel connection of the main motors before the circuit is closed at the main controller.

ln order to prevent the combined seriesparallel switch and master controller from beingr moved from the oli' position d1- rectly to the parallel positions without first being moved to the series positions, a toothed disl: 41 is mounted on the sha-ft, ot such con troller with its tooth 42 nori'naily in engagement with ai lever 43 to lock the controller against movement from the oli position to the parallel positions. However, when the controller 39 has been moved to the lastv series position, position 6, the cam 44 on the disk 41 raises the lever 43 out of the path oi' the tooth 42, thereby compress ing the spring 45, and thus permits the controller 39, if moved quickly, to be moved from the last series position through the o ii1 position to the parallel positions, A dash pot 46 is provided to prevent the spring ,45y from moving the lever 43 too quickly back.

into the path of the tooth 42 after is 'has been moved out of such path. I

The operation of the system is substantially as follows. The reversing switch 23 is set by proper movement of the master reversing switch to energize the solenoid 29 or 30. ritter the reversing switch 28 has been set as desired, the controller 39 is moved in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3) into position 1, in such movement irst connecting the inotors i and B in series respectively with the motors C and D and then completing 'the circuit from the battery 31 to the solenoids 2O and 21. The latter immediately close their associated switches 13 and 14, thus completing the motor circuit through the whole resistance 27. As the controller 39 is moved Iforward to positions 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the solenoids 22, 23, 24, 25, and .26 are suecessively energized to close their associated switches, thus gradually cutting the resistance 27a out of circuit. The art 33 of the controller 39 may be arrange either t-o interrupt or to maintain closed the circuits of each solenoid 22 to 25 inclusive as it is' moved forward to complete lthe circuit of the solenoid next to the right thereof. With .be to the oft thc controller 39 in position 6, the final se-- ries position, thecam 44 has raised the lever 43 out of the path of the tooth 42 of the disk 41. By a comparativelyrapid movement the controller 39 is now moved from position G through the oill position` to the irst parallel position, position 7, the tooth 42 clearing the lever 41 in this movement. Electrically, this movement causes the Jfollowing actions in sequence: The resistance 27 is again cut into circuit either gradually or suddenly, according as the switches 15 to 18 inclusive yare closed or open when the controller 39 in its movement toward off position passes beyond the position in which such switches are respectively caused to be raised; themotor circuit is broken b the practically simultaneous opening ot the switches 13 andv 14, which divide anyarc which may be formed; lthe series connection of the main motors is unmade by the upper part 40 of the controller 39; the motors A and B are connected in parallel respectively with the motors C and D by the upper part 40 of the controller 39; and the solenoids 20, 21, and 23 are energized, the last either at the same time as or slightly later than the other two, to cause the switches 13, 14, and 16 to be closed to complete the motor cir, cuit and cut out part of the resistance 27. As the controller 39 is moved to positions 3, 9, and/10 the solenoids 24, 25, and 26 are energized to cause the successive operation of thev switches 17, 13, and 19 to cut out the remainder of the resistance 2T. To stop the motors it is only necessary to move the controller 39 from any position in which it may osition, it being unnecessary when such position is one of the parallel po 4sitions Jfor the controller 39 to pass throu h any of the series positions. In sucli bac e ward movement from position 10, for instance, the resistance 27 or part of it is cut into circuit, the circuit is broken at the switches 13 and 14 or 13 and16 according as the switch 16 is open or closed as the controller 39 passes backward beyond position 6, and lthen the parallel connection of the main motors is unmade by, the upper part 40 of the controller 39. Thus the breaking of the circuit always takes place at the switch 13 and the switch 14 or 16, which are preferably provided with blow-out coils 50. The main circuit is never broken at the controller 39, although the latter directly controis the series and parallel connections of esopo? system. Although only two such controllers are shown, any desired number may be provided and any one of them used for controlling the motors; In the cables leading -to the main motors A, B, C, and l) are fuses 5l, 52,53, and 54. In shunt to each of these fuses is a high resistance of some sort, such as a carbon'pencil 55, while in shunt to an adjustable )art of this resistance is a telltale light or ot er device 56. Switches 57 and 58 maybe provided for cutting out the various carbon pencils and lights respectively. In case one of the. fuses blows, as because ot' an overload or short-circuit on its associated. motor, the short-circuit which the fusefurnislies around the carbon pencil is broken and la small current is thrown through rsuch pencil. A proportionate part ofthis goes through the light 56, which thus indicates which of the fuses has blown. The

motors may be used and the motors mayA be connected in other inter-relations than in those mentioned. For instance, by omitting the lower half ot' such part 40, the system is suitable without other change for the series-parallel control of the motors A and C. Instead ci' the single motors A, B,'C and` I), there may be groups of any desired number of motors. Many other cli-anges in -the precise arrangement shown and de- Cfr scribed may be made without departing from the spirit and scope vof my invention,

and all such I aim to cover in the follow ing claims. l

What I claim as new is Al. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a power operated switch' at, which the motor circuits are always made and broken and a' controller for controlling the operation oit' said switch and for directly varying the inter-relationot said motors.

2. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a controller havin several steps for varying the speed o said motors, and a controller 'for controlling the individual steps of said iirst mentioned con ti'oller and for directly varying the vinterrelatioii of said motors.

A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a controller for control ling the resistance of the motor circuits step by step and for making and breaking the motor circuit, and a second controller for controlling the individual steps of said first controller and for directlyvarying the interrelation of said motors.

4.-. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, an electrically operated controller for making and breaking the motor circuits and varying. the resistance troller for controlling severally the dideieiit steps in the operation ot' said former controller and for directly connecting the ino-A tors in series an lpara-llel relation. tlqA'inotor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a power-operated controller l'or varying the external resistance in the ,motor circuit and tor making and breaking such circuit, and a manually operated controller for controlling the operation of said power-,operated controller and for connecting the motors in various inter-relations, the contacts ot the manually operatedcoin tiroller being so ai'i'angedf that the main circuit. is never broken at such controller.

'l'. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a resistance, a plurality of electromagnetically actuated switches for4 completing the motor circuit and for varying such resistance, and a master 'controller for controlling the operation of said electroniagnetical-ly actuated switches individually and for directly connecting the motors in different inter-relations.

8. In combination, a plurality of motors, a step-by-step resistance controller and a series-parallel controller therefor, ay master Fcontroller for controlling the individual steps oi the resistance controller, and unitary means for operating the series-'parallel controller and the master controller.

9. In combination, a plurality ot motors, a remotely controlled resistance controller therefor having a plurality of independent steps, and a manually operated series-parallel Icontroller therefor.

3,0. In combination, a plurality of motors,

a remotely controlled resistance controller therefor having a plurality of independent steps, a manually .operated series-parallel controller therefor, and a single handle for controlling both said controllers.

1l. vIn combination, a plurali-ty of motors,

and a series-parallel controller therefor, said controller comprising a rotatable druin having an oil' position between the series and parallel positions, and means for preventing 4said drum from being moved from the ed position to the parallel positions until after it has been moved to the series position.

l2. In combination, a plurality ot motors, and a series-parallel controller therefor, said controller comprising a' rotatable drum liaring an god' position between the series and Sil lBO

parallel positions, and means for preventing said drum from being moved from the cti' position to the parallel positions until after it has been moved to the last series position.

13. In combination, an electric motor, a fuse in the circuit thereof, a comparatively high resistance in shunt to said fuse and normally short-circuited thereby, and an electric light in shunt to part of said high resistance.

14. In combination, an electric motor, a fuse in thel circuit thereof, a comparatively high resistance in shunt to said fuse and normally short-circuited thereby, and an electric light in shunt to an adjustable partv of said high resistance.

15. In combination, a plurality of motors, a controller for themotors, a fuse in the conductor leading to each motor, and a light associated with `each fuse for indicating when such fuse has blown.

16. 1n combination, a plurality of motors, a controller therefor, a fuse in the conductor leading to each motor, and an electric light connected in shunt to each of said fuses.

17. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a controller for controlling the resistance ofthe motor circuits and at which the motor circuits are always made and broken, and a second controller for controlling said iirst controller'and for directly varying the inter-relation of the motors.

18. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, an electrically operated controller for varying the resistance of the plurality of motors, an electromagnetically operated controller for varying the external resistance in the motor circuits in a plurality of independent steps, and a manually operated controller for controlling the op` eration of said first mentioned controller and for directly connecting the motors in series and parellel relation.

20. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a resistance, a plurality of electromagnetically actuated switches for varying such resistance, and a master controller for controlling the operation of said electromagnetically actuated switches indi vidually and for directly connect-ing the motors in different inter-relations.

21. A motor control system comprising a plurality of motors, a resistance, a plurality of electromagnetically actuated switches for varying said resistance and at which the motor circuits are always broken, and a master controller for controlling the operation of said electromagnetically actuated switches and for directly connecting the motors in diferent inter-relations.

In testimony whereof l aiiix my signature, in the presence of tw(` witnesses.

EMMETT XV. STULL.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. SCHLEY, FRED J. KINSEY. 

